Pakistan wobbles as coup threat grows: Army chief warns PM Sharif against use of force as Imran Khan asks whole nation to join his protest

Pakistani protesters carry an injured man to an ambulance during clashes in
Islamabad's Red Zone

An earthquake registering six on the Richter Scale rumbled through the northern half of Pakistan on Sunday, fading away into Kashmir to the east and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to the west. But no-one really noticed, because the republic's latest tryst with democracy was being tear-gassed and lathi-charged in the heart of Islamabad, the Prime Minister was in a corner, and the Army was looking restive again.

Talk of a military coup hung in the air as the Army's top brass advanced a high-level meeting by a day and met at its Rawalpindi headquarters.

The meeting, presided over by Army chief General Raheel Sharif, lasted four hours and delivered a loaded warning to Sharif, saying the situation should be "resolved politically without wasting any time and without recourse to violent means," ominously adding that the Army "remains committed to playing its part in ensuring security of the state and will never fall short of meeting national aspirations".

Sharif's office came out a statement of its own, saying that the interior ministry has been "directed to utilise all resources to ensure protection of state institutions without loss of life", and calling a joint session of Parliament on Tuesday.

The Army meet came after large-scale violence in Islamabad's Red Zone that began late on Saturday claimed the lives of three protesters, including a woman, in clashes between security forces and protesters who have besieged the area for 18 days now.

The Red Zone houses Pakistan's Parliament as well as the Presidency, Supreme Court, and Prime Minister's official residence and has been the site of a massive sit-in protest seeking Sharif's resignation, and featuring a convergence of supporters of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Imran Khan and Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT) leader Tahir-ul-Qadri.

Sharif 's political foes weren't about to quit either. Khan asked all Pakistanis to join him in the protest.

"I request all the nation, civil servants, bureaucrats and police to rebel against this illegal government," he told his supporters, asking officials to "ignore all illegal orders" from the government.

Echoing Khan's ultimatum asking Sharif to step down in 24 hours, Qadri said he would "sacrifice" himself.

Speaking to Mail Today late on Sunday, Imran Khan made it clear that his party will only resume talks if Sharif resigns.

"We will keep on protesting until Nawaz Sharif resigns. I will stand firm even if all of my team and supporters deceive me," Khan said.

Another source told Mail Today that the Army's quick response force, known as 'Triple One Brigade', has already reached Islamabad and is in touch with the high command. This particular brigade has been a key player in previous coups.

The rioting began late on Saturday as thousands of Qadri and Khan supporters attempted to storm the prime minister's residence, and later the Parliament building. The police fired rubber bullets and teargas shells to disperse the violent protesters. Pakistan's electronic media reported 17 people killed and 500 wounded, but doctors confirmed only three dead and 200 injured.

"Three people have been killed while more than two hundred were injured," a spokesperson of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences told Mail Today.

A Pakistani supporter of Canadian cleric Tahir ul Qadri uses a slingshot to lob a stone towards riot police during clashes with security forces near the PM's residence in Islamabad

As Sunday dawned, the heart of Islamabad looked like a battleground even as sporadic clashes continued. This correspondent witnessed scores of women and children running helter-skelter as policemen fired at will. Many were injured and rushed to hospitals, where most were pronounced as critically injured.

"They fired teargas shells at us. I witnessed a dozen women falling down after being hit by bullets," said Ehsanullah, a die-hard supporter of cleric Qadri. Ehsanullah himself received a bullet in leg, and was bleeding profusely. Deliberations Defence Minister Khwaja Asif said the police action was in self-defence.

"Law enforcement agencies were left with no option other than using force to keep protesters away. Sadly it was the protesters who challenged the government's writ. The police only retaliated," Asif told Mail Today.

Prime Minister Sharif had rushed to Islamabad by noon from his residence in Raiwind near Lahore and held an hourlong meeting with his Cabinet. Insiders told Mail Today that Prime Minister advised his team, comprising Information Minister Pervez Rashid, Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and Defence Minister Asif to invite Imran Khan and Qadri for negotiations.

"The government has decided to invite Imran Khan and Tahir-ul-Qadri to come across the table for talks. We are waiting for their response," Rashid told Mail Today.

Meanwhile, in another blow to Imran Khan, PTI president Javed Hashmi broke ranks to criticise his leader for urging a forced entry into the prime minister's residence. Hashmi made it clear that the former Pakistan cricket captain Khan would be responsible if Army conduct another coup.

"Imran Khan will be responsible if Army takes over," Hashmi told reporters at a press conference.

Imran Khan reacted with fury, expelling Hashmi immediately.

Pakistan Army statement

Corps Commander Conference was held at General Headquarters tonight. Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif presided over the conference.

While reaffirming support to democracy, the conference reviewed with serious concern, the existing political crisis and the violent turn it has taken, resulting in large scale injuries and loss of lives.

Further use of force will only aggravate the problem. It was once again reiterated that the situation should be resolved politically without wasting any time and without recourse to violent means.

Army remains committed to playing its part in ensuring security of the state and will never fall short of meeting national aspirations.

The meeting condemned the attack on symbols of the state by two political parties and regarded it as undemocratic and unconstitutional.

The steps taken by police and security forces to defend and defeat such acts were appreciated.

It was maintained that the government adopted the path of negotiations but was betrayed and an invasion was made despite prior commitment.

It was agreed that this undemocratic onslaught should be withdrawn and parties should come back to the negotiation table.

The Ministry of Interior was directed to utilise all resources to ensure protection of state institutions without loss of life.

The Prime Minister, in agreement with the proposal of Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly Syed Khurshid Shah and Leader of the House in Senate Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan, decided to convene joint session of Parliament on Tuesday, September 2, 2014.